Story Mode for your first journey
The developers recommend starting with Story Mode, which introduces systems progressively and includes optional tutorial helpers. It is the clearest officially recommended starting point for a new player.
Shape your own sandbox
The Sandbox preview describes choices for resources, water distribution, terrain and planets. You can also choose to unlock buildings from the start, with indicators showing how configuration choices affect difficulty.
These are announced full-game features. Do not assume every Sandbox option is part of the downloadable demo.
Sources & research scope
Game information on this page comes from the sources recorded in the dated research. Publisher-hosted wiki entries are community-maintained, and review judgments remain attributed to their writers. Planning advice applies those documented systems and does not claim personal playtesting.